Battery storage and dispensing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A boxed battery dispenser configured to hold a plurality of battery trays. Each battery tray of the plurality of battery trays is configured to hold a plurality of batteries, and each battery tray can be independently removeable from the dispenser.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/639,510, filed Mar. 7, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to thefield of dispensing devices, and particularly, the present disclosurerelates to dispensing devices for consumer batteries.

BACKGROUND

Batteries are commonly used in many households to power consumer goods,such as toys, electronic devices, flashlights, headphones, remotecontrols, etc. Some professions, such as those in the entertainment andtravel industries, as well as law enforcement, use batteries to powerremote communication devices which are always on over the course of aworkday. Hence, for many households and professions, battery demand canbe quite high.

Improper storage of batteries can cause batteries to prematurelydischarge or even physically degrade. Batteries often are sold indisposable packaging that is not intended to provide any type oflong-term storage. Simply opening a large battery pack can present theimmediate issue of having to store dozens of loose batteries when onlyone or two were required for immediate use. Complicating this is thatmajority of consumer-style batteries sold today are cylindrical, whichtend roll in random directions when placed on surfaces. In view of theforegoing, it would desirable to address battery storage and dispensingissues that exist for many households and workplaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Some embodiments of the invention related to apparatuses thatconveniently store stacks of batteries, allow batteries to beconveniently refilled/stocked, and allow for batteries to be easily andconveniently dispensed.

Some embodiments relate to a battery dispenser for dispensing of one ormore types of batteries, which can include AAA, AA, C, D, and 9-voltbatteries for example. The battery dispenser can be wall mounted andhold battery trays that in turn each hold a stack of batteries.Batteries are dispensed from the trays from a bottom location of thedispenser. The trays can be removeable from the dispenser to enable auser to reload or replace empty trays. The trays can be removed withoutdisturbing placement or function of the remaining trays that remain inthe dispenser. Ejection mechanisms can be used that operate to eject allor a portion of a battery from the trays.

Some embodiments relate to battery dispenser. The battery dispenser canhave a wall panel. A bottom panel can be affixed to the wall panel. Afirst side panel and second side panel can be included, and each can beaffixed to the wall panel and the bottom panel. A face panel can beaffixed to at least the first and second side panels. A plurality ofinterior dividing features can be located between the wall panel and theface panel. The plurality of interior dividing features can define aplurality of battery tray channels. A plurality of battery trays can beincluded. Each battery tray of the plurality of battery trays can beconfigured to hold a plurality of batteries, and each battery tray canbe independently removeable from one of the battery tray channels of theplurality of battery tray channels.

In some embodiments, the face panel, first and second side panels, andwall panel can at least partially define a battery tray loading openingat an upper portion of the battery dispenser, and each battery trayloading opening of the plurality of battery tray loading openings cancorrespond to one of the battery tray channels of the plurality ofbattery tray channels.

In some embodiments, the bottom panel, first and second side panels, andwall panel can at least partially define a plurality of battery trayejection openings at a bottom portion of the battery dispenser, and eachbattery tray ejection opening of the plurality of battery tray ejectionopenings can correspond to one of the battery tray channels of theplurality of battery tray channels.

In some embodiments, each battery tray of the plurality of battery trayscan be configured to be slideably insertable into and removable out ofone of the battery tray loading openings of the plurality of batterytray loading openings without disturbing any remaining battery trays ofthe plurality of battery trays housed within the plurality of batterytray channels.

In some embodiments, each battery tray opening of the plurality ofbattery tray openings can be formed within the face panel.

In some embodiments, a plurality of battery ejection mechanisms can behoused at the bottom panel.

In some embodiments, each battery tray can be configured to cooperatewith a battery ejection mechanism of the plurality of battery ejectionmechanisms to eject batteries from the cooperating battery tray.

In some embodiments, each battery tray ejection mechanism of theplurality of battery tray ejection mechanisms can include a pull tabconfigured to at least partially eject a lower-most battery stacked in abattery tray of the plurality of battery trays.

In some embodiments, the plurality of interior dividing features caninclude a plurality of interior panels.

In some embodiments, the plurality of interior panels can be affixed tothe wall panel and the face panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of at least certain embodiments, referencewill be made to the following Detailed Description, which is to be readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A-1C depict perspective views of an apparatus for storing anddispensing batteries, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 1D depicts a perspective view of an aspect of the apparatus ofFIGS. 1A-1C.

FIG. 2A depicts a perspective view of another apparatus for storing anddispensing batteries, according to some embodiments.

FIGS. 2B-2E depict perspective views of various aspects of the apparatusof FIG. 2A.

The figures depict various embodiments of the present invention forpurposes of illustration only, wherein the figures use like referencenumerals to identify like elements. One skilled in the art will readilyrecognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments ofthe structures and methods illustrated in the figures may be employedwithout departing from the principles of the invention described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it is to beunderstood that this invention is not limited to the embodimentsdescribed, as such can, of course, vary. It is also to be understoodthat the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting, becausethe scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appendedclaims.

FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively show front and back perspective views of anexample of a battery dispenser 100, which generally can have a box-likestructure defined by interconnected panels. The battery dispenser 100can be configured to dispense batteries at a bottom location.

The battery dispenser 100 includes a wall panel 102 configured to mountagainst a vertical wall. The wall panel 102 can include holes forenabling attachment by fasteners to a wall. A bottom panel 104 isconnected to the wall panel 102 at the bottom of the battery dispenser100. A first side panel 106 and a second side panel 108 connect to thewall panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 at lateral ends of the batterydispenser 100. A face panel 110 attaches to at least the first sidepanel 106 and the second side panel 108. As shown, the face panel 110can include openings 111 for visually checking presence of batteries,however, in some embodiments the openings are omitted. Batteries aredispensed from the battery dispenser 100 at one or more openings(defined by at least the bottom panel 104, first side panel 106, secondside panel 108, and the face panel 110) formed at the bottom portion ofthe battery dispenser.

A plurality of reloadable battery trays 112 can be independentlyinserted into and removed from the top of the dispenser, which isillustrated in FIG. 1C showing a partial insertion of the battery trays112. The battery trays 112 are inserted into one or more openings formedbetween at least the top portion of the wall panel 102, face panel 110,first side panel 106, and the second side panel 108.

The battery trays 112 have a boxed structure and are elongated to hold aplurality of vertically stacked batteries. The battery trays 112 areenclosed on at least five sides and in some embodiments are open facingthe face panel 110. Batteries can be inserted into the opening when thetrays are removed. The battery trays 112 can include one more crossmembers 114 to help stiffen the trays. In some embodiments, fordisposable/recyclable battery trays that come preloaded with batteries,the battery trays 112 are fully enclosed except for a consumer removabledispensing opening. As shown, the battery trays 112 can include pulltabs, each extending from the top most portion of each tray. In someembodiments, the pull tabs are configured as loops and/or can fold flat.In other embodiments, the pull tabs are omitted from the battery trays112.

In the example shown, each battery tray 112 is configured to hold acertain type of battery (e.g., AA, AAA, AAAA, PP3, C, & D typebatteries) and therefore trays of varying sizes are shown. However, insome embodiments the battery dispenser 100 is configured for holdingmultiple battery trays 112 configured for only one size of battery.

The battery trays 112 can be configured to stack batteries such thateach battery is substantially transverse to the wall panel 102, i.e.,such that the longest central axis of each battery is perpendicular toback planar surface of the wall panel 102. This arrangement preventscylindrical batteries from accidentally self-ejecting from the batterydispenser 100. Alternatively, the battery trays 112 can be configured tostack batteries such that each battery is substantially parallel to thewall panel 102, i.e., such that the longest central axis of the batteryis parallel to back planar surface of the wall panel 102. In suchembodiments, the battery trays 112 can include a physical stop (e.g.,lip) to prevent the batteries from ejecting due to gravity or beconfigured to bias the bottom-most battery of a stack of batteriestowards the wall panel 102 instead of the face panel 110.

FIG. 1D shows a partial construction of the battery dispenser 100 toillustrate the interior a plurality of interior dividing features 120.In this example, the interior dividing features 120 are configured asdividing panels connected to the bottom panel 104 and wall panel 102while being parallel to and between the first side panel 106 and secondside panel 108. The interior dividing features 120 and first and secondside panels 104/106 together at least partially define a plurality ofbattery tray channels 122 between the face panel 110 and the wall panel102. Each battery tray channel 122 is configured hold one of the batterytray trays 112. Accordingly, each interior dividing feature 120 isspaced apart from one another such that a battery tray 112 can slidewithin a corresponding battery tray channel 122.

Each interior dividing feature 120 and first and second side panels104/106 can include cut-outs 124 to enable partial insertion of fingersinto the battery tray channels 122 for removal of batteries. Eachinterior dividing feature 120 can also include engagement features 126for enabling mechanical attachment with the face panel 110. Here, theengagement features 126 are configured as male protrusions for fittingwithin like-shaped female openings of the face panel 110. In someembodiments, some or all of the interior dividing features 120 are notconfigured as panels, but instead features such as ribs or channels canextend from or into the wall panel 102 and/or face panel 110 to provideguides for the battery trays 112.

The panels and battery trays of the battery dispenser can be constructedfrom a variety of materials, such as polymers, metals, compositematerials, and wood materials (e.g., plywood, fiberboard). In someembodiments, one or more of the panels are made integral by way of theconstruction technique implemented, e.g., by 3-D printing, extrusions,or molding. Generally, it is desirable to provide a relatively stiffstructure for the battery dispenser that is resistant to flexure fromweight of the batteries, which can be significant and non-evenlydistributed, e.g., when only one side of the battery dispenser isloaded. Hence, the battery dispenser should be designed to account forsuch loading. In some embodiments, to promote stiffness each panel canbe configured to be permanently affixed into the greater structure ofthe battery dispenser. Notably, because the battery trays are insertedthrough discrete openings, stiffness of the exemplary battery dispenser100 is not compromised by openable panels. In some embodiments, thebattery trays are purchased pre-loaded with batteries and configured forone-time use. In such embodiments, the battery tray can be constructedfrom a disposable/recyclable paper or polymer material.

In use, the battery dispenser is mounted to a wall or other structure ina manner such that the wall panel 102 is made substantially vertical andthe bottom panel 104 is orientated closest to the floor. The batterydispenser 100 should be mounted at a height that allows relatively easyaccess (without physical discomfort) to the bottom of the batterydispenser 100 for retrieval of batteries and to the top of the batterydispenser 100 for loading battery trays. Batteries can then be loadedinto the battery trays or are provided pre-loaded.

The loaded battery trays are then inserted into the upper openings(defined by at least the wall panel 102, first side panel 106, secondside panel 108, and the face panel 110) such that each battery tray 112is slidingly received by a corresponding battery tray channel 122. As aresult, each loaded battery tray channel contains a stack of batteriesfor dispensing. This manner of loading the battery dispenser 100 withbatteries via the battery trays 112 is advantageous because it does notrequire insertion of one battery at a time into the dispenser (which canresult in binding of the batteries due to the batteries falling a fullvertical travel distance of the dispenser and also cause arm/shoulderfatigue when repeatedly loading numerous batteries) or require removalof the face panel 110 (which can cause the dispenser to flex due tobattery loads present in the dispenser and make replacement of the facepanel difficult or cause loaded batteries to fall out).

Batteries can then be physically retrieved by accessing (e.g., usingfingers) the dispensing openings that are defined by at least the bottompanel 104, first side panel 106, second side panel 108, and the facepanel 110. Removal of one battery of a stack of batteries causes anyremaining batteries of that stack to slide downward, in a uniform mannerwithout binding, hence a second battery stacked directly on top of theremoved battery is then made accessible for dispensing.

When a battery tray is empty or when it is desired to refill a partiallyloaded battery tray 112, the battery tray 112 can be removed byaccessing it at the top of the battery dispenser 100 and applying avertical force to slide the battery tray 112 out of a corresponding traychannel 122. The battery tray 112 can be grasped at a corresponding pulltab if present. The removed battery tray 112 can then be placed on ahorizontal surface, reloaded with batteries, and then reinserted intothe battery dispenser 100. This arrangement is advantageous because eachbattery tray 112 can be independently removed and installed, i.e.,without interrupting location, placement, or accessibility of anyremaining battery trays 112 with the battery dispenser 100, which wouldnot be the case if the face panel 110 required removal or opening or ifany other manipulation or movement of other portions of the batterydispenser 100 was required. Hence, the battery dispenser 100 can beoperated without all of the battery trays 112 being present. In someembodiments the battery trays 112 are configured to bedisposable/recyclable after use, accordingly a new pre-loaded batterytray 112 can be inserted into the empty tray channel 122.

FIG. 2A shows another battery dispenser 200, which is an alternativeembodiment of the battery dispenser 100 described above. The batterydispenser 200 is substantially identical to the battery dispenser 100,hence only the differences will be discussed for the sake of brevity.Battery dispenser 200 differs in that it includes battery dispensingmechanisms 202 to enable retrieval of batteries from the batterydispenser 200. Each battery tray channel can include one dispensingmechanism 202.

The dispensing mechanisms 202 are operable by liner actuation of a pulltab 204, i.e., by pulling and pushing the pull tabs out of and into thebattery dispenser 200. Pulling a pull tab from first position, in whichthe pull tab 204 withdrawn into the batter dispenser 200, to a secondposition causes a lower-most battery to at least partially eject fromthe battery dispenser 200 and enable its physical retrieval. Ejection iscaused by an element of the associated dispensing mechanism 202 movingthe battery due to movement of the pull tab. After the ejected batteryis removed from the battery dispenser, the pull tab 204 can be pushedback into the battery dispenser 200 from the second position back to thefirst position which resets the associated dispensing mechanism 202 forejection of the next battery in the stack.

FIG. 2B shows a pull tab 204 removed from the battery dispenser 200 toallow for better understanding of the dispensing mechanisms 202. Thepull tab 204 includes an elongated body having a pulling portion 206, atravel guide 208, and a battery ejector 210. The dispensing mechanisms202 also include housings for the pull tabs 204, which here are depictedas guide tracks 220 of an alternative bottom panel 230, as illustratedin FIGS. 2C and 2D.

The pulling portion 206 and the travel guide 208 slide within the guidetracks 220. The guide tracks 220 can be T-shaped in cross-section (i.e.,transverse to the travel direction) to prevent the pull tab 204 fromlifting out, as each travel guide 208 is captured within the widestportion of a guide track 220. In some embodiments, the pull tab 204 isspring loaded to bias the pull tab 204 towards the first position, inwhich the pull tab withdrawn into the battery dispenser. As shown atFIG. 2D, an alternative wall panel 222 can include recessed portions 224for housing the battery ejectors 210 while in the first position.

The battery ejectors 210 are configured to extend past the top surfaceof the bottom panel 230 to cooperate with alternative battery trays 240,as shown at FIG. 2E. Each of the battery trays 240 includes an ejectiontrack 242 that is aligned with a corresponding guide track 220. In thefirst position, each battery ejector 210 is held within a track cave244, or past within a recessed portion 224 of the wall panel 222, so asto not significantly interfere with the bottom-most battery of anassociated battery tray 240. Each ejection track 242 includes a travelstop 246 that prevents the battery ejector 210 from moving past. Whenthe battery ejector 210 abuts the travel stop, the pull tab 204 is inthe second position.

When a pull tab 204 is pulled from the first position to the secondposition, the associated battery ejector 210 will drag a battery, whichis in the lower-most position of a battery stack, out of the batterydispenser 200 to at least partially eject the battery. The ejectedbattery can then be retrieved by hand. The batteries in the stack thatwere above the ejected battery will then rest on the battery ejector 210while in the second position. The pull tab 204 can then be pushed backinto the first position such that the battery ejector 210 is held withinor past the track cave 244, which causes the battery stack to fullyslide down the battery tray. A second battery that was above the ejectedbattery is then placed into position for ejection by a subsequentoperation of the pull tab 204.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods andmaterials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also beused in the practice or testing of the present invention, representativeillustrative methods and materials are now described.

It is noted that, as used herein and in the appended claims, thesingular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. It is further noted that the claimsmay be drafted to exclude any optional element. As such, this statementis intended to serve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusiveterminology as “solely,” “only” and the like in connection with therecitation of claim elements, or use of a “negative” limitation.

As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading thisdisclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustratedherein has discrete components and features which can be readilyseparated from or combined with the features of any of the other severalembodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the presentinvention. Any recited method can be carried out in the order of eventsrecited or in any other order that is logically possible.

Throughout the foregoing description, and for the purposes ofexplanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the described techniques. It will beapparent, however, to one skilled in the art that these techniques canbe practiced without some of these specific details. Although variousembodiments that incorporate these teachings have been shown anddescribed in detail, those skilled in the art could readily devise manyother varied embodiments or mechanisms to incorporate these techniques.Also, embodiments can include various operations as set forth above,fewer operations, or more operations; or operations in an order.Accordingly, the scope and spirit of the invention should be judged interms of the claims, which follow as well as the legal equivalentsthereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery dispenser comprising: a wall panel; abottom panel affixed to the wall panel; a first side panel and secondside panel, each being affixed to the wall panel and the bottom panel; aface panel affixed to at least the first and second side panels; aplurality of interior dividing features between the wall panel and theface panel, the plurality of interior dividing features defining aplurality of battery tray channels; a plurality of battery trays, eachbattery tray of the plurality of battery trays being configured to holda plurality of batteries, each battery tray being independentlyremoveable from one of the battery tray channels of the plurality ofbattery tray channels; further comprising a plurality of batteryejection mechanisms housed at the bottom panel, wherein each batterytray is configured to cooperate with a battery ejection mechanism of theplurality of battery ejection mechanisms to eject batteries from thecooperating battery tray, wherein each battery tray comprises arectangular configuration that includes a top tray side, bottom trayside that cooperates with the bottom panel, lateral tray sides extendingbetween the top and bottom tray sides, and a wall tray side between thelateral tray sides and extending between the top and bottom tray sides,wherein the bottom tray side comprises an ejection track opening thatextends through a portion of the bottom tray side and a portion of thewall tray side, wherein the ejection track opening comprises a travelstop within the bottom tray side and a track cave that extends from thebottom tray side towards the top tray side, wherein each battery trayejection mechanism of the plurality of battery tray ejection mechanismscomprises a pull tab configured to eject only a portion of a lower-mostbattery stacked in a battery tray of the plurality of battery trays toplace the lower-most battery in position for retrieval without fullyejecting the lower-most battery, wherein the pull tab comprises anelongated body and a battery ejector portion that extends into theejection track opening, the battery ejector portion being configured toengage a portion of the lower-most battery from a first position of thebattery ejector portion, wherein at the first position the batteryejector portion is within or past the track cave of the battery trayejection track opening, and partially eject only the portion of thelower-most battery when the battery ejector portion is moved to a secondposition away from the wall panel, wherein at the second position thebattery ejector portion is limited by the travel stop of the batterytray ejection track opening, wherein after the lower-most battery isremoved a second lower-most battery resting on top of the lower-mostbattery drops via gravity onto the battery ejector portion in the secondposition, wherein the battery ejector portion is configured to be pushedback towards the wall panel to the first position which causes thesecond lower-most battery to drop further via gravity to a readyposition in which the second lower-most battery is positioned to engagewith the battery ejector portion in the first position, wherein theelongated body is in sliding engagement with a guide track of aplurality of guide tracks at the bottom panel, wherein the batteryejector portion is configured to extend from the elongated body througha bottom panel opening of a plurality of bottom panel openings at thebottom panel, and wherein the guide tracks extend along a first distancebetween the wall panel and face panel, wherein the first distance islonger than a second distance between the first and second position ofthe battery ejector portion, wherein the face panel, first and secondside panels, and wall panel at least partially define a plurality ofbattery tray loading openings at an upper portion of the batterydispenser, wherein each battery tray loading opening of the plurality ofbattery tray loading openings corresponds to one of the battery traychannels of the plurality of battery tray channels.
 2. The batterydispenser of claim 1, wherein the bottom panel, first and second sidepanels, and wall panel at least partially define a plurality of batterytray ejection openings at a bottom portion of the battery dispenser,each battery tray ejection opening of the plurality of battery trayejection openings corresponding to one of the battery tray channels ofthe plurality of battery tray channels.
 3. The battery dispenser ofclaim 2, wherein each battery tray of the plurality of battery trays isconfigured to be slideably insertable into and removable out of one ofthe battery tray loading openings of the plurality of battery trayloading openings without disturbing any remaining battery trays of theplurality of battery trays housed within the plurality of battery traychannels.
 4. The battery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofinterior dividing features comprise a plurality of interior panels. 5.The battery dispenser of claim 4, wherein the plurality of interiorpanels are affixed to the wall panel and the face panel.
 6. The batterydispenser of claim 3, wherein a battery feeding opening is definedbetween the top tray side and the bottom tray side and facing the bottomtray side, and wherein the battery feeding opening is sized to allowbatteries to insert therein when the battery tray is removed from thebattery dispenser.
 7. The battery dispenser of claim 1, wherein at leastone battery tray of the plurality of battery trays is configured to havean enlarged ejection track opening that is sized larger than otherejection track openings of the plurality of battery trays.
 8. Thebattery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery trayscomprise a plurality of top battery tray surfaces, wherein each topbattery tray surface of the plurality of top battery tray surfaces spansacross a corresponding battery tray loading opening of the plurality ofbattery tray loading openings such that the plurality of top batterytray surfaces form a top panel surface that is substantially planar andencloses the battery dispenser with the face panel, first and secondside panels, and wall panel.
 9. The battery dispenser of claim 1,wherein each battery tray of the plurality of battery trays isconfigured to hold the plurality of batteries such that a longestcentral axis of each battery the plurality of batteries is perpendicularto the wall panel.